


... And the Tree Was Happy

by jesusonaunicycle



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Aithusa is their child ok, Boys In Love, Drabble, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, So Married, There is MUCH FLUFF, stomachache inducing fluff, un-beta'd
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-24
Updated: 2014-06-24
Packaged: 2018-02-06 00:30:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1837753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jesusonaunicycle/pseuds/jesusonaunicycle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin has long since been made king's consort and Court Sorcerer, and had introduced Arthur to Aithusa. He might be regretting the decision a little, but he enjoys it much more than he lets on.</p>
            </blockquote>





	... And the Tree Was Happy

**Author's Note:**

> Just a silly little drabble that my friend Zoe wanted me to write! Some Arthur-Merlin-Aithusa bonding, being a family, u kno. I'm a fuckin nerd ok and I like fluffy things. It's also kinda implied that Merlin's the Court Sorcerer and Consort, so... Yeah. 
> 
> Enjoy! c:

“Da-ddy. Come on, love, I know you can say it: _Da_ ddy.”

Merlin rolled his eyes from where he was leaning against the king’s lush pillows. He had a heavy tome propped up against his bent knees, golden ink glittering and writhing on the page, the pale yellow glow reflecting on his smirking face. “You do remember that you are not actually her father, right?” he said bluntly, but his voice was colored with fond amusement.

Arthur huffed from where he sat at his desk, peering at the tiny white dragon perched in front of him. He sent Merlin a sharp look, his own smile belying the irritation. “How could I forget? You mothered Aithusa on your own, didn’t you?”

At her name, the white fledgling chirruped in delight. She fluttered her wings excitedly, up on her hind legs, and Arthur laughed adoringly while Merlin scowled at the tiny scaled thing.

“Traitor,” he muttered to the dragon, but he could hardly be angry at the dragonling when she made Arthur smile like that. Besides, the little half-purr, half-growl noises she made when Arthur stroked down her spine melted his heart, just a little.

“At least she knows where her loyalties lie, _Mer_ lin. Don’t you, Aithusa?”

Merlin rolled his eyes again at Arthur’s blatant cooing. Ever since he’d introduced Aithusa to him, the two had become inseparable. Arthur often walked around the castle with Aithusa curled around his shoulders, mimicking his commands in a childlike voice. It amused the new king to no end. And, Merlin mused, it was a bonus to watch stuffy nobles snivel and knights flinch at the sight of his baby dragon. Aithusa had been only as long as Merlin’s forearm when they’d met, and now she was the same length as his fist to his shoulder, and already powerful. She just had trouble speaking her own words in Albion’s tongue; she was rather like a toddler, repeating words over and over to understand their meaning.

Arthur was endeavoring to teach the young dragon Albion’s tongue. It was a sight, seeing the King of Camelot eye-level to a fledgling, asking her to say things for him. It was adorable. And also extremely, _extremely_ irritating at times. He just learned to deal with it.

Merlin learned plenty of new things about his king in the last few months. He learned that Arthur was, in fact, as prattish as he always was even in a relationship. He learned that Arthur had a soft spot for things that were smaller than him (i.e. puppies, kittens, babies, and apparently, dragonlings). He also learned that Arthur liked cuddling, no matter what the king said to the contrary. And he learned that Arthur was very, very lovable, and loved fiercely in return.

Arthur felt so much. Merlin never would’ve guessed, but seeing him now, trying desperately for a simple “Da” from Aithusa, he was reminded of his lover’s huge heart.

When Arthur let out a pathetic whine as Aithusa merely yawned, revealing rows of sharp, white teeth, and curled back up into a ball in the middle of his paperwork, Merlin closed his text and got up from the bed. He crossed over to Arthur’s desk, striding up behind him and placing his hands gently on Arthur’s shoulders. The king leaned back into his hands gratefully, his head thudding back against Merlin’s chest, his eyes already slid shut. Merlin smiled indulgently. He kneaded the tense muscles in Arthur’s shoulders, bending to press a kiss to the top of his lover’s fair-haired head. Aithusa watched it all through icy, intelligent blue eyes, purring happily.

“I don’t understand,” Arthur whined. “Sometimes, she responds beautifully, and we go so far in her lessons. Other days it’s like talking to stone,” he complained, opening his eyes and staring up at Merlin, pouting. Merlin totally didn’t think about the comparison in his and Aithusa’s eyes, or the fact that his lips looked very soft and kissable in that moment. Not at all.

“You’ve just got to be patient with her, Arthur. She’s not even a year old yet. No human baby can understand language so soon, and I even think her comprehension is advanced for most dragon hatchlings. You’ve both been doing amazing,” Merlin praised both of them, glancing up at Aithusa with a smile before turning his attention back to Arthur, who looked a little less bereft despite his persistent pout. Seriously, if he didn’t stop, Merlin was going to put Arthur to bed, and leave Aithusa to fend for herself.

Aithusa purred a little louder at the praise, lifted her snout and said, “Thank.” Arthur beamed at her ridiculously and Merlin chuckled.

“Very good, darling! Are you tired?” Merlin asked, resting his chin on the top of Arthur’s head. The little dragon’s tail thumped against the desk once before she chirped sleepily, returning to her coil. Merlin huffed at her laziness and briefly turned his attention back on Arthur, dropping a kiss to the side of his neck. “Are _you_ tired?”

Arthur hummed in answer, turning his head to capture Merlin’s lips before he straightened up entirely. Merlin sighed happily; Arthur’s lips were just as soft as he remembered them being. The kiss was slow, gentle, and a little heated. But it was short-lived--Aithusa made a complaining sound, her tail thumping repeatedly until they broke apart. Merlin sent her an admonishing look while Arthur giggled (because he _giggled_ , damn him).

“Alright, missy; you wanna get some loving too?” he demanded, striding over to the side of the desk to reach over to an already squirming Aithusa, who squealed like a human child as Merlin tickled her belly. The dragonling hiccoughed little laughs, only settling when Merlin scooped her up in his arms and carried her to her nest inside Arthur’s wardrobe, her wings fluttering all the while.

Later, when Merlin and Arthur were together underneath the sheets, Arthur pressed a kiss to Merlin’s bare shoulder and said, “You’re very good with her. I almost envy you.”

Merlin frowned at the weary tone, the tinge of sadness. “What do you mean?” he asked, turning towards his lover, aware of him even in the dark.

“I mean, you just make her so happy,” Arthur murmured after a while, nuzzling into Merlin’s sleep-warm skin. “She never... _lights up_ around me like she does with you.”

Merlin’s heart broke a little at the admission. He’d tried explaining this to Arthur before; he was a dragonlord, so Aithusa immediately saw Merlin as her superior, someone she had to perform her best around. It ran in his blood just as much as it ran in hers. While Aithusa felt Merlin was the sun that she orbited, now, Merlin felt he had to protect Aithusa from everything and everyone that was a threat. He assumed that mother and child relationships were similar. But with Arthur… Aithusa didn’t have to perform. She was _natural_ around Arthur, relaxed. She viewed Arthur as more of the lax parent, the parent that could be a friend, instead of the parent that she had to impress.

Merlin wriggled a bit in the sheets to get down to Arthur’s level, gently taking his face in his hands and kissing him. The kiss was rougher than the one they shared earlier, but all the same full of love and feelings and damn it, he was going to have to talk about his feelings now, wasn’t he?

“Arthur,” Merlin started as the kiss broke, ignoring Arthur’s mumbled protest, “love, Aithusa adores you. She acts so natural around you, like she doesn’t have to impress you. You’re her world, her moon and stars. Just like you are mine,” he said, dropping another kiss to Arthur’s mouth, smiling when he felt Arthur’s slow, contented grin.

Arthur hummed and slid a leg over Merlin’s, one of his hands sliding hotly over Merlin’s bare stomach. “I’m your moon and stars?” he teased, and Merlin shoved weakly at him, only making the king laugh, drawing Merlin to him. “I love you, Merlin. You and Aithusa are everything to me. If I lost you, I don’t…” he trailed off, and Merlin wrapped his arms around him tightly.

“Don’t think about it, because you won’t,” Merlin promised, butting Arthur’s forehead lightly with his own. Arthur snorted softly and Merlin smiled, “Go to sleep, prat.”

Merlin settled after that, warm and content with Arthur wrapped around him. And just as he was falling to sleep, he thought he heard a, "Goodnight, idiot," in return. Merlin fell asleep with a smile on his face.

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, the title is from Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree... Like I said I am a nerd I'm so sorry
> 
> Feedback is much appreciated! c:


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